(Not) Butter Chicken

$6.22 recipe / $1.04 serving

Okay, I don’t really know what this recipe is but I DO know that I started with a recipe for butter chicken (which may not have been all that authentic to begin with) and then it was changed it up to fit my wants, needs and supplies.

The result? Absolutely, freaking delicious. It’s spicy, tangy and super aromatic. This is one of those dishes that makes me look forward to eating my lunch every day… even though I’ve eaten the same thing for the past three days. The left overs are every bit as delicious as day one.

Garam masala is a major flavor component for this dish and can’t be skipped. In regular grocery stores it can be pricy (low demand in the general public) so search out ethnic grocery stores, you’ll pay a fraction of the price. You can also mix up your own garam masala from individual spices. There are many recipes for garam masala online, one of which can be found here. If any of you routinely buy spices online, please share your experience, favorite merchant and buying tips in the comments section below.

One more note about chicken: boneless, skinless breasts can cost you an arm and a leg if you don’t buy them right. First, shop sales. Second, ALWAYS buy value packs. I buy my chicken breasts in a 5 lb. pack and it costs at least $1 less per pound that way. As soon as I get home from the store, I divide the pack up into bags of two breasts each (thats usually what I use per recipe) and refreeze. It only takes about 5-10 minutes and I save at least $5. I actually intended to use chicken thighs for this recipe but buying the breasts in the value pack was less expensive per pound than chicken thighs. Imagine that.

Instructions

Trim the fat from the chicken breasts and cut them into small chunks. Set chicken aside. Dice the onion and mince the garlic and ginger.

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium/high heat. When the butter is nice and hot (careful not to burn it) add the chicken chunks and brown them on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. It’s okay if it isn’t cooked through because it will simmer in the sauce later.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, garlic and ginger. Saute the mix for 2-3 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the garam masala and cayenne pepper. Continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Stir until everything is evenly combined. Add the chicken back in, place a lid on top and reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the mixture to simmer for one hour or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

While the pot is simmering, begin to cook the rice. Combine 1.5 cups of rice and 2.25 cups of water in a medium pot. Place a lid on top and heat over a high flame until boiling. Once it comes to a full boil, immediately reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn the heat off and keep the lid in place until ready to serve.

After the chicken and tomato mixture has simmered, break the chicken into smaller pieces if desired (the chicken should be soft and easily broken apart). Stir in the plain yogurt. Serve the chicken mixture over a bed of rice. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Step By Step Photos

Cut your chicken into small pieces. You can use thigh meat or breasts… whatever you like or whatever is least expensive.

It’s a good idea to have your onion, garlic and ginger chopped and minced before you begin. The recipe comes together quickly in the beginning (then simmers for a long time).

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium high heat.

When the butter is nice and hot, add the chicken and brown it on all sides. Remove it from the pot after browning. It’s okay if it’s not cooked through, it will simmer in the sauce later and cook completely.

After removing the chicken, add the onion, garlic and ginger to the butter in the pot. Cook them for 2-3 minutes or until they begin to soften. Then add the garam masala and cayenne pepper. Continue to stir and cook the mixture for 1-2 minutes more. The spices will become fragrant.

Next, add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.

Add the chicken back into the pot.

Place a lid on top, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about an hour so that the chicken gets cooked through and becomes nice and tender.

Get the rice going while the stew is simmering. It is really vital to the dish to use some sort of aromatic rice. I used jasmine rice because I was able to buy this large, 5 lb. bag for a really good price. Check the ethnic aisle at your local grocery store, they often stock bulk sized bags of jasmine rice near the other Asian ingredients.

Combine the rice in a medium pot with 1.5 parts water (1.5 cups rice / 2.25 cups water). Bring it to a boil with a lid on then immediately reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer on low for 20 minutes then turn the heat off. Let it sit with the lid in place until you are ready to serve. Fluff with a fork just before serving.

Once the chicken/tomato mixture has simmered for quite a while, the chicken should be very tender. I broke mine up into smaller pieces. Finally, stir in the yogurt. My final product didn’t need any adjusting with spices, salt or pepper but taste yours for good measure.

Heat 2 tbs oil in pot and then add washed (if necessary) and drained rice to hot oil. Mix rice until it is glazed over, about a minute or so, then add double the amount of water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and let cook until all water is absorbed. You can check by inserting a fork to the bottom of the pot. If there is no water there the rice is ready. 1.5 cups would take approx. 8 minutes to cook.

Made this last night – it was quite good. I used greek yogurt because that’s what was in the fridge, added some frozen peas (yum!) and chickpeas to up the veggie content, and served over white jasmine rice.

Made this tonight for hubby and son who don’t like spicy or tomato (except for in spaghetti sauce). Both had seconds. I loved it and put the extras in the freezer for lunches! I used Greek Yogurt and made my own garam masala from another of Beth’s recipes. I will make it again!

Just made this- Yummy! Wife and I both loved it.
For Garam Masala, I use a mix I found in a book called:
“Quick After Work Curries” by Pat Chapman:
1 TBSP ground coriander
1.5 TSP ground cumin
1.5 TSP ground cardamom
1.5 TSP ground black pepper
1.5 TSP ground cloves
1.5 TSP ground fennel
1 TSP ground cinnamon
Much easier to find the raw spices than a reliable source
that is already mixed where I live (Germany).

The final product was good! just a little watery than expected. Anyway I can avoid this and make it creamier? Should I drain the diced tomatoes before adding them? also maybe using greek yoghurt instead?

If you let the chicken simmer in the sauce without a lid, that will allow it to reduce and be less watery, but without losing any of the flavor from the tomato juice. :) You can also try Greek yogurt, if you prefer.

Hi! I’m Beth

As a food lover and a number cruncher I've decided that cooking on a budget shouldn't mean canned beans and ramen noodles night after night. Join me for delicious recipes designed for small budgets. More »